Acute descending necrotizing mediastinitis as a complication of the retropharyngeal abscess caused by anaerobes

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a rare, life-threatening form of mediastinitis caused by odontogenic, pharyngeal, or cervical infections. The retropharyngeal space is the most common primary site of infection. Given the fulminant course and high mortality rate, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are important predictors of survival in patients with DNM. Appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment, prompt surgical intervention, and proper management of patients in the intensive care unit can be of vital importance. We present the case of a previously healthy 20-year-old male patient who was successfully cured and discharged from the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo after suffering from a severe form of mediastinitis as a complication of the retropharyngeal abscess caused by anaerobes

Thoracosurgical treatment of pleural complications in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Pleural complications in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are relatively uncommon findings. Pleural involvement in these patients may directly correlate to disease severity and overall prognosis. We aimed to review clinical features and treatment approaches for pleural complications (accumulation of fluid/air inside the pleural cavity) in 45 patients with COVID-19, who were treated at our institution between April 2020 and October 2021. Methods: Our study was designed as single-center, observational, cross-sectional study of 45 patients with COVID-19 and at least one radiologically verified pleural complication. Demographic data, radiological findings, as well as type and number of thoracosurgical intervention(s) were recorded for every patient. We included patients of both genders and various age groups, with positive RT-PCR assay for COVID-19 and radiologic features of pleural complications, which required single or multiple thoracosurgical interventions. Results: Unilateral pleural complications were more common, right-sided pleural complications were found in 44.4% of patients. Right-sided pneumothorax was reported in 26.7% of patients. Almost one-fourth of our patients required invasive mechanical ventilation. Tube thoracostomy was performed in 84.4% of patients with unilateral pleural complications. A fatal outcome was most common in patients over 60 years old. More than half of patients with bilateral pleural complications died in our study. Conclusions: Pleural complications are a rare finding in patients with COVID-19. Tube thoracostomy is the mainstay of treatment for most symptomatic patients with pleural complications. Future research should be directed toward investigation of long-term pulmonary consequences in patients with COVID-19

Evaluation of the Preoperative Stage and Operative Findings in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is responsible for 40% mortalities from malignant diseases in man and exhibits an extremely infiltrating way of growing. It does not respect the lobes’ or the organs’ borders and spreads by blood system, lymph system and per continuitatem. According to its biological characteristics and response to treatments it may be divided in to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which also includes other histological types. Lung cancer treatment includes surgical treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, the combination of the former three as well as symptomatic treatment. In this study, we analyzed 125 patients with lung cancer, that were hospitalized at the Clinic for Thoracic Surgery in KCU Sarajevo. The difference according to gender is statistically significant because we had 111 (88,8%) male patients in comparison with 14 (11,2%) female patients. The average age of male patients was 60,3 years while female patients were 61,9 years old on average. Thus, the difference in average age is not statistically significant. In diagnostic procedures: chest radiography was the most significant in peripheral lesions (60, 8%). CT of the thoracic organs has a statistical significance because the tumor changes were confirmed in 123 patients (98,4%). In bronchoscopy, we had 120 patients (96,0%). The number of patients with preformed lobectomy (63) is statistically significantly greater in the observed group (125) then the number of patients with other operative procedures preformed. From the postoperative complications we had exitus letalis 2 (1,6%), wound infection 19 (15,2%), and 104 without complications (83,2%). The results of testing the significance of differences according to the cancer types in non small cell lung cancer were planocellular, adenocarcinoma, and macrocellular. Comparing the preoperative staging and operative findings through stages we obtained to the following results: in stage ST0 the deviation was 16,7%, STIA the deviation was 40,1%, STIB the deviation was 16,1%, STIIA the deviation was 11,1%, STIIB the deviation was 12,5%, STIIIA the deviation was 33,33%, STIIIB the deviation was 33, 3%. From the overall number of patients, who were in preoperativly graded stage STIA, operative findings confirmed STIA, which makes the most important statistically significant difference. In 36 patients or 28,8% the status was changed in operative finding. In 89 patients preoperative status or 72,2% remained unchanged following the operation